Brian Bergeron started out as a solo singer/songwriter. His solo EP "Hourglass" was released in late 2009. Over the years he brought on a full band and in March 2012, he billed himself as Mr. Kind; the name stuck.

The music is dreamy, at times psychedelic and other times melodic with a hint of Americana.

The Oakland band celebrates the release of its third EP, "Wide Awake," with a party Friday.

Was there a band you heard when you were young that inspired you to become a musician?

BB: I didn't grow up in a particularly musical family. All through middle school, I believed I was going to be a writer, but when I saw the Tom Hanks film "That Thing You Do," I saw that my future would lie in music and not literature.

What's the most important aspect to putting on a live show?

BB: Every show we try to do something that we haven't done before, whether it be performing new material, including sampling and electronic elements into our set, or incorporating four and five part harmonies into our live set, which we will be doing for the upcoming release.

How did you come up with your band name and what does it mean to you?

BB: We changed our name from gig to gig for a few months. When it came time for our first EP, we went through the band list and Mr. Kind was the name that best resonated with us. It fits well with the make-up and personality of the band, a bunch of nerdy, self-effacing, far from rock star (except for Jon Devoto, a former rock star from his days in the Matches) nice guys and we've grown into it more as time has passed.